Stepping up the quality of technical education
ABDUL LATHEF NAHA
|
Finishing schools are being set up in polytechnic colleges to improve the employability of students.
|
Silhouette: Education Minister M.A. Baby inaugurating a finishing school at Government Polytechnic College at Perinthalmanna in Malappuram district.
Technical education alone may not prepare our students for technical jobs. They need additional soft skills to prove their employability. This has been a recent realisation for the Department of Technical Education in Kerala.
Finishing schools being set up in polytechnic colleges are an immediate result of this realisation. Every district in the State will soon have one finishing school for its polytechnic colleges.
The Government Polytechnic College at Perinthalmanna last week saw the inauguration of a finishing school. Education Minister M.A. Baby, while launching the school meant for the entire polytechnic community of Malappuram district, stressed the importance of polytechnic students gearing themselves up for future jobs.
Upgradation of skills, particularly soft skills, will be a key feature of the finishing school. M. Sankaran, principal of Government Polytechnic College, Perinthalmanna, who is also coordinator of the Finishing School, says they will soon launch a 120-hour course aimed at upgradation of skills.
But the course will not be limited to final year students of polytechnic colleges. “We will include the students who passed out of polytechnics recently,” says Mr. Sankaran. “Communication is the key,” he says, explaining that the course will be devised in such a manner as to help the overall personality development of students.
“Our aim is to equip the polytechnic students for any competitive examination,” he says. According to Mr. Sankaran, technical skill or know-how will not alone be sufficient to get through competitive examinations. Soft skill development of students, as envisaged through the Finishing School, is expected to help not only land good jobs but also find better alternatives. It is expected to instill confidence in students to take up jobs of varying nature.
“Even when acquiring technical know-how, polytechnic students have been missing in general education. We are hopeful that the Finishing School will help us gain that too,” says Suhag P., a polytechnic student from Malappuram.
“Language is an important aspect whether you are in technical field or not. The earlier we realise it the better," says Mr. Suhag.
The State government is understood to have decided to introduce part-time evening courses at polytechnic colleges in Kerala.
Mr. Baby, while inaugurating the Finishing School, had hinted that evening batches of technical courses could be launched if there was demand for them.
According to Mr. Baby, everything possible has to be done to enhance the level of technical education in the State.
Infrastructural shortfalls in polytechnics across the State have been brought to the notice of the Minister.
He has assured that top priority will be given to improving the infrastructure. The Polytechnic College at Perinthalmanna opened a common amenity centre the other day as part of the government’s drive to enhance facilities on polytechnic campuses.
V. Sasikumar, MLA, while inaugurating the common amenity centre, has too laid stress on the importance of upgrading skills and knowledge.
"We need our youngsters to have better communication skills no matter they are in polytechnic or in any other institution," he says.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Education Plus
